St Peter’s, Preston Park

About

Painted treasure in a wonderful landscape

This simple square-towered church, built from flint rubble, is 800-years old. It stands in the beautiful landscaped park of Preston Manor.

Now all looks serene but in 1906 the church was damaged by fire and nearly lost its greatest treasures - its 14th-century wallpaintings. Today, the paintings stand out in reds and browns against the limewashed walls.

Although fragments, you can pick out the nativity with a bowl-shaped crib and the infant Jesus. The violent scene of Thomas Becket’s murder in Canterbury is clearer - you can see one of the four knights, possibly William de Tracy, plunge his sword into Becket's head and you can see blood dripping from the hand of Edward Grim, Becket’s chaplain, who was injured while trying to protect him.

Sumptuous 20th-century restoration brought the church new life after the fire, and today the walls, windows and floors around the altar glow with a gorgeous mix of pattern and colour.